


Morning Run

by isuilde



Series: Respite Verse [6]
Category: Free!
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Unrepentant Fluff, iwatobi white day, public display of affection that isn't really PDA actually
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-19
Updated: 2014-03-19
Packaged: 2018-01-16 07:30:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1337122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isuilde/pseuds/isuilde
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They always stop by the water fountain at the particular corner of the park.</p>
<p>Or, more accurately, Makoto does. Rin doesn’t know why, never asks why; they only have time to go for a jog together on weekends anyway, so if Makoto wants to stop by and take a gulp of water or two from the water fountain, Rin isn’t going to complain.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Morning Run

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [JakeHercy](http://jakehercy.tumblr.com/)'s gift for Iwatobi White Day. I hope you enjoyed this!
> 
> Oh, also, this was inspired by [this pixiv art](http://isumiilde.tumblr.com/post/66931529480/metamorphoxis-11-17-pixiv). :D

They always stop by the water fountain at the particular corner of the park. 

Or, more accurately, Makoto does. Rin doesn’t know why, never asks why; they only have time to go for a jog together on weekends anyway, so if Makoto wants to stop by and take a gulp of water or two from the water fountain, Rin isn’t going to complain. Besides, this particular corner of the park is nice; four huge cherry blossom trees lining the cobblestone path and making some sort of canopies above their heads, with only one lone park bench that’s usually unoccupied anyway next to the water fountain. It’s one corner of the park that’s a bit too far from the entrance, and thus less often visited. Even in the early mornings, there are only a handful of runners running past this corner of the park, and Rin doesn’t ever see anyone else lounging around on the bench. 

Makoto though—he always stops and takes a drink off the water fountain, and then throws himself onto the grass, sprawled like he has not a care in the world. If it wasn’t for the fact that his boyfriend rarely looks so careless, Rin would probably just pull Makoto up to his feet and insist to continue their morning jog. 

He crouches down next to Makoto, making a face when his hands flatten the still damp grass. Makoto laughs at him. 

“Your pants are going to be wet,” Rin tells him. “Come on, how old are you, we haven’t even run that far yet.” 

“I’m not tired,” Makoto says, fingers tugging insistently at Rin’s sleeve, a silent request that Rin, too, should sit down. Rin sighs, resigning himself to the fact that he’s going to finish his jog with a wet pants, and settles next to Makoto. 

They stay quiet for a while, listening to the sound of early spring breeze, still a little bit chilly against their skin. Makoto drops his head on Rin’s shoulder, exhales very, very quietly, and Rin finds himself matching Makoto’s breath on instinct. Minutes tick by, and it might have been five minutes, ten minutes, or perhaps half an hour, and Rin wouldd’ve thought that Makoto has fallen asleep, if it weren’t for his fingers playing absently with Rin’s own, tangling and untangling, tracing lines and forms with no apparent consistency. 

And then Makoto lifts his head, gives Rin this brilliant, brilliant smile that Rin’s fallen in love with all over again, it’s ridiculous. “Let’s go?” 

“Yeah.” 

They get up to their feet just as another runner past by—a teenage girl that Rin often sees on his alone morning jogs. She waves a hand companionably to the two of them, laughing into her hands free as she talks with whoever it is on the other side of the call, and passes them just like that. Rin nods back at her, and then bends down to pat his pants, shrugging off the pieces of grass stubbornly clinging to it. 

Makoto reaches out, fingers sliding into Rin’s hair for a moment and leaves with a stray leaf. 

“Thanks,” Rin says, almost absently. Makoto grins and gives the leaf to Rin. 

He doesn’t throw it away. He pockets them—said leaf would join some other random knick-knacks Rin keeps in the small box he secretly calls his treasure box, under the heap of blankets in the closet. Makoto’s probably found the box by now, but Rin has the key anyway. Besides, it’s not like the taller man is a stranger to Rin’s ridiculous romantic streak, even if Rin would rather bite his own tongue than to admit it. 

They begin running again—a slow rhythm, movement relaxed even as Rin feels small beads of sweat starting to form on his forehead. It’s probably because the sun’s getting rather high up there. Makoto is talking, telling him about nothing and everything at the same time, and Rin replies with his own stories of the days when Makoto isn’t part of his routine: the swimming team, his training menu, his publicist, his coach, Gou’s newest research that she shared with him over lunch yesterday. 

They reach the center of the park in no time. Rin’s steps slow down; he’s already bringing up his water bottle to his lips even before he stops completely, and downs half of it before tossing it to Makoto, who drains the rest. They drop onto the pavement, sitting back-to-back, feet sprawled in the midst of other runners and park visitors, amongst kids playing chase or hide-and-seek, amongst rowdy teenagers walking past with laughter louder than the sounds of cars passing down on the main road. 

“Makoto,” Rin says. “Think we’d have time to get some brunch before your flight?” 

Makoto hums. “The usual place?” 

“Yeah.” Rin agrees, dropping his head back onto Makoto’s shoulder in a casual move, and even now he’s astonished that everyone is too busy with themselves to see the way Makoto presses his cheek slightly into his mop of red hair. “You won’t be back for three weeks, I thought you might want to eat your fill of pancakes first. You love their pancakes.” 

“I do,” Makoto laughs, shoulders shaking. “If we’re quick, I could still make it to the airport before one. I wonder if they have branches in Okinawa.” 

Rin snorts. “It’s a small café, I don’t think they would. Call Haru quickly, tell him we’ll meet him at the café.” 

“You say that,” Makoto shoots back, laughter thick in his voice. “But you’re not going to move soon, are you?” 

“Nope.” Rin shrugs, and listens to the new burst of laughter Makoto produces. “Go call Haru.” 

“He’s probably in the bath,” Makoto complains, but he fishes his phone out anyway, and Rin closes his eyes, listens as Makoto says hello into the phone and pauses in surprise because Haruka actually picks up his phone, before telling their best friend that they’re out jogging, and they’re about to grab something to eat, have you eaten breakfast Haru? 

“The usual place,” Rin says, louder so the phone can catch his voice, and hears Haruka’s voice saying something over the phone. Makoto turns to him and repeats, “He says that place doesn’t have mackerel.” 

“No, what? I thought Haru liked their pudding.” 

“He does.” 

“Well then, what are you complaining for?” 

Makoto chuckles. “We’ll see you there in about half an hour, okay, Haru? Please don’t forget to bring your phone this time.” With that, the conversation ends. Makoto pockets his phone back and leans further on Rin, making the redhead grunt. 

“You’re heavy.” 

“You are, too.”

“You’ve got a bigger body, Makoto, goddammit.” 

“You didn’t mind last night.”

Rin pauses, thinks of something to retort with, but finds none. His head is rather empty right now, it’s a strange, contented feeling. He doesn’t mind it that much. 

“We should get going,” Makoto murmurs. 

“You move, then.” 

“If I moved, you’d hit your head on the pavement.” 

“What am I, an idiot?” 

“Then you move.” 

“I’m comfortable,” Rin says, not even surprised when he finds that he means it, that it’s not just a random throwback to keep their easy bantering. “Fine, five minutes.” 

Makoto laughs.

**\-----o0o-----**


End file.
